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19K views 328 replies 11 participants last post by  britbunny 
#1 ·
Hi everyone and anyone,

How are things in your world at the minute?

Things are generally good with me, there is still some uncertainty about DH's job - but his boss has been discussing some long term projects with him so it points to his job being safe but you never know. I'm also looking for a job, but at the minute I'm looking for something I want to do rather than just any old job, but obviously there's not all that much about just now.

But other than work everything is brilliant. We all love the new house and the new area, getting out and about lots. Plus we have the bonus of quince and blackberry bushes in the garden *yum yum*
 
#146 ·
Please keep your fingers crossed for good weather today at 10.30 and 11.30 your time UK.
Fiori has been given the last 2 days off because she is as sick as a dog. She can hardly talk and has a really bad cough. Her boss felt really sorry for her also because of the weather conditions and both her and our fears that she would become stranded at Christmas.

So we have changed her flights (don't ask what it cost but it will be worth it) so with a bit of luck, she'll be home - physically in our home - at 13.00 our time.

I'll keep you posted.
 
#149 ·
FIORI IS HOME!!!!

Even at the last minute she had a delay but she finally arrived at Rotterdam airport at 2 pm local time and was in the house at 2.45 pm.
The whole house is like a bomb site with all her things but I don't care.

Just in case I don't get a chance to get on here before then, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a wonderful Christmas.
 
#150 ·
Merry Christmas to everyone who reads this, hope the day went well yesterday.

Right, taking the time now DH isn't sat right next to me to fill you in on what's been going on. His stepdad's operation didn't go according to plan, they couldn't remove the tumour due to its position, so they have just had to bypass it and reconnect his colon further down. So he will have to have a course of chemo/radiotherapy in the new year when he's recovered from the operation enough to be able to cope with it.

He did not make it home in time for Christmas so yesterday was spent with him at the hospital. He was hoping to be eating by this point so he could have a proper meal but he's still on a drip. MIL didn't open any of her gifts so Christmas has been delayed until everyone can attend, whenever that is.

I felt very bad for DH's grandmother yesterday. The weather has been so bad for the past 9 days she has been unable to leave the house. She always spends Christmas with MIL but obviously could not this year so was alone all day. We visited her but didn't get there until teatime so it seemed a little late really. But at least we got to see her. She was feeling sad as she didn't feel up to visiting the hospital as her own husband died there over New Year a few years back so it brings back too many memories for her. We have been doing what we can for everyone but the snow has been so bad we've been housebound too.

At the other end of the spectrum I'll post up some photo's we took of the beach last weekend!

We were meant to be visiting FIL today but (dare I say thankfully) it has been cancelled. I'm sorry to be glad about it but he is making me so cross at the minute I'm finding it very difficult to want to spend time with him. It's all little things but they add up to really annoying me. A fine example was this morning, DH's grandmother phoned us to tell us not to come over today, she said she had to phone as FIL didn't have our phone number. Which is complete ... rubbish. He also got our address wrong when sending our Christmas card. I know it sounds like small stuff but DH is hos only son. FIL goes on and on about family stuff but doesn't even bother to know the details of DH's life. I know he doesn't like me and that's totally fine, but that's a separate issue. It just really really annoys me. Ooooh, did I have a rant there?

Hope everything is well with everyone else. We're going to spend today having a nice relax and maybe watch some football. Speak soon and if no-one's around beforehand have a Happy New Year.
 
#151 ·
Firstly let me wish everyone a very happy and healthy 2011.

BB I'm sorry to hear that your dh's stepdad's surgery didn't go according to plan but I hope that he has recovered a lot by now and that you have all had your delayed Christmas celebration.
I know that because of the birth of our 4 th son on Christmas day
22 years ago, our Christmas Day dinner had to be cancelled. We finally had the whole family over in June and had a Christmas dinner in the garden.
I hope that you managed to have a nice Christmas in spite of the family troubles going on and that your New Year's Eve was special as well.

We had a quiet New Year's Eve - just the 2 of us - which hasn't happened in 29 years. It was odd but I found it very relaxing. Dh missed all the folks around him. It wasn't actually planned this way but just happened.

After the EXTREMELY busy Christmas for me (me 3 days in the kitchen catering for friends and a lot of family) I have vowed that I don't care how or where, but Christmas 2011 will be different - I will be catered FOR - I will not cook Christmas dinner 3 times in a row this year. (Sounds weird to say this year don't you think?)

Dh's father has rallied so much that he came to Christmas dinner on Boxing Day and had a ball. The man is a walking miracle. At one point people are not going to believe us anymore if we say at some time in the future that he is in a bad way. He has been in a really bad way so often - that he IS a walking miracle.

I heard about the VAT in the UK being raised to 20% this morning. I wonder what will happen. I heard various options about what could happen on the BBC this morning.

Have you heard any news about your DH's job?
 
#152 ·
Righty ho. Happy New Year one and all, best wished for 2011.

DH's stepdad is now home and is looking a fair bit better, still not back on his feet but the district nurse is visiting every other day and the doctor is visiting today. The long term prognosis is not great 2 1/2 - 5 years absolute maximum apparently. So, he's compiling a list of all the places he wants us to take him to when he's up to it. So that's where we are.

How fantastic for you about DH's father over Christmas! What a man. It sounds like a very sensible idea for you to be catered for next Christmas - yes it does sound strange to say "this year".

Tis my birthday tomorrow. We were planning a trip to Lancaster to an antiques centre that has a section dedicated to items from the 1960's. Unfortunately the snow has returned so I doubt we'll be doing it. Still, it'll still be there next weekend.

The weather/sky has been very strange recently. I know there was the partial eclipse earlier this week but I don't know, it's just been super dark then really sunny and the moon has looked very strange, It's like the world's end or something. Very beautiful but spooky. Have you seen Jupiter? It is so clear in the sky this week, we can't miss it here. There was a great show on BBC2 three nights this week "star watching live" or something. I really recommend it, a good mixture of science and fun (a bit too much Jonathan Ross for my liking but you can't have everything can you?).

We have had some unofficial news about DH's job, he is a part of the reshuffle and will be taking over the policy section as well as research and intelligence that he manages now. But until we have it in contract form I won't be happy. Obviously no-one will be getting a payrise for the next few years but we're kind of hoping that these additional duties may mean no loss of cash, If things stay as they are we will be £65 a month worse off.

A couple of people have taken voluntary redundancy and everyone has agreed to take 4 days unpaid leave and to pay for parking. So it's not a great deal but the unpaid leave and parking charge means 150 people get to keep their job. and who can begrudge that?

VAT did indeed increase to 20% this week. I am more worried about the price of fuel though. The price has gone through the roof this week at about £1.25 per litre for unleaded and close to £1.30 a litre for diesel. This will hit the price of everything, VAT or no VAT. If it costs more to get to the shops then it's going to cost more, simple as that. Luckily a few of the shops we buy from regularly have just absorbed the VAT increase so prices haven't changed yet which is a bit of relief.

Think that's everything, but it's enough for one week! Hope everyone is happy and healthy with you. Do you have any grand plans for this year?
 
#155 ·
Just a quick note to say that I loved the photos.
I'll show them to dh this evening.

I'm busy today getting a lot of stuff sorted out.
Just the normal 'why have our health insurance forgotten us' and paying bills etc. Nothing exciting but necessary.

Hope you had a great birthday.
 
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#156 ·
Glad you enjoyed the pictures.

And to the good news... DH is not going to be made redundant. In fact he is to be promoted! The huge irony being that he is now going to be doing the job he applied for (and didn't get) in the first place! This is on top of his current job. Basically there is to be a massive restructure and he will be taking over another 3 teams as well as the research team. Things being as they are he won't be bringing home more money, but we won't be worse off - which we would have been had things stayed the same as they're having to pay for things like car parking from now on.

So that's the best news we could have had!
 
#157 ·
Bit of a hectic time here. Fiori has had the flu and then got a stomach flu on top of it.
We called our gp this morning because after 1 week of being really ill with high temps she still isn't getting anywhere near better. One of our sons still at home got the same flu but got a lot better within a few days.
So I felt like I was in a hospital ward for a while. Unfortunately I was also literally visiting a hospital ward where my father in law had been admitted since Monday.
He was rushed into the ER on Monday evening and kept in IC till Tuesday evening when he was transferred to a normal ward. It seems that he has had a medication poisoning - not his fault but he had too many meds that were contradicting each other. Over the years they have given to him by various cardiologists/neurologists/internal drs. etc. The cardiologist that he now has in the hospital is furious because this could have been avoided.
A complaint is on it's way to various parties by this cardiologist since he was literally on the edge of life and death Monday evening and the dr said that it could have gone any way.
All the family were gathered but he is still with us and believe it or not back home as of yesterday morning.
For the first time I had to delegate stuff to do to the rest of the family (bil.sil niece/nephew etc. since I was busy at home with my own sick kids. They didn't like it but the way I feel at the moment - TOUGH!!!
Various things of Fiori are being looked at but for now our gp thinks that she has various viruses going on especially in her stomach and bowels.
Actually she hasn't been completely well since she came back from London.

So if you missed me on here - you know what has been happening.

I give an update when I know something more.
 
#159 ·
How are you?

Fiori was finally diagnosed with a bacterial infection. (Probably when she was in Barcelona mid-Jan) she had somehow picked up a Campilo bacter bacteria.
After I wrote on here about her being sick, she got even sicker. Thankfully we have a wonderful GP and she seems to be well on the road to recovery.
Please if you have a chance, cross your fingers for her this afternoon at around 3 pm. Then she is sitting her driving test AGAIN!

Dimmen and Lloyd have signed for their apartment and are just waiting for the builder's estimate for the big work that has to be done. This is a builder that we have used many many times and he is great and trustworthy.
Further we are all busy doing stuff at their place.
I have photos of their apartment in an album here on the forum
(they are the 'before' photos - it is actually a LOT worse than it appears on the photos).

My mother in law celebrated her 82nd birthday on Sunday and my father in law was there and enjoyed it.

Further there hasn't really been much except for a lot of really tiresome family stuff that I won't bore you with but some of it is really keeping me up at nights.

So how are things in Lancashire?
 
#160 ·
Fingers crossed for the driving test! Glad she's on the road to recovery (pun intended) after the infection. DH's stepdad couldn't have a course of chemo last week as he became infected with e-coli of all things. It's just one thing after the other at the minute isn't it.

I saw a couple of photos of the flat but think I must have missed a little of the story of them finding it and all that stuff. Hope the quote isn't too eye watering.

Not huge amounts going on here really, the first signs of spring are bringing out plans for decorating and all manner of work to the house - you know how it is. DH started his new role at work last week and is getting used to that. It hasn't meant too many extra hours yet but I'm sure it will.

Blackpool is right in the middle of all the prom works and it looks awful. I think it's safe to say it's never looked worse! It's totally inaccessible at the minute. The prom is in turmoil - a new wedding venue is being built next to North Pier, the tram tracks are up so they can be prepared for the new flash "supertrams". The Pleasure Beach is having a refurb, a new pub is being built right outside DH's office (which is good for concentration). The Comedy Carpet is being laid, the Tower is covered in scaffolding. And on it goes. The grand unveiling of the whole shebang is meant to be at the start of July so I hope is runs to schedule.

The Winter Gardens are also getting a refurb - a new cafe opened on Saturday and it looks beautiful. When the builders started the works they removed the panelling of the old cafe and found the original art deco fittings still intact - including the mirrors. It is sooooooooo gorgeous. I'll see if we're allowed to take photographs next time we're there and will post them up.

So, it's an exciting time, I just hope it's worth the wait!

Think that's about it. We've just been doing our usual stuff and I am pleased to report nothing dramatic has happened recently. Long may it remain that way. Hope your troubles subside soon or at least stop keeping you awake at night... Speak soon.
 
#161 ·
Well, after having been away for a while, I've found my way back to the boards and it looks like I've missed a lot. I've had difficulty finding time to do much, even though I technically have more of it! I passed my driving test (5th attempt - eep) and get home about an hour and a half earlier than I used to when I had to use public transport, but I find so many extra jobs that I didn't get around to doing before that I still had little time left for myself! Oh well, that seems to be sorting itself out now. As for me, I'm still cooking - experimenting with new ideas and flavours - and working but that's about it. :) Hope to catch up a bit more soon.

KB xx
 
#162 ·
Welcome back KB, nice to see you again.
Congratulations on passing your driving test.

If it's any consolation, my daughter failed her driving test last week. That was her 4th attempt. So she will be trying again on March 9th.

Time is starting to be of the essence for her because she only has till mid-April before her theory exam expires.

In Holland you have to sit a separate theory exam before you can even try to do the real driving test. If you pass the theory part then you have 1 year to pass the real driving test and then you have to start with theory again. Because she was in London from August till end Dec, she missed those chances. We said to her to get her license in the UK but she thought that driving in London would be much more difficult.

However, one maybe good thing is that because she is now going for the 5th time, she falls into the category 'State Exam' which is a special type of driving test especially for people who have trouble with the test for whatever reason. They then get more time, possibility of extra chances to correct something etc. If she doesn't get it this time then she maybe only have one more time before she has to do the theory exam again. UGH!!

Also the trouble is here that everything is so expensive. Just to sit the 'real' driving test without anything else like lessons etc in between (so just on the day itself - the test) is 220 euros. So her driving license is starting to become VERY VERY expensive.

Hope to see you on here more often.
 
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#163 ·
Awww, poor Fiori, better luck next time!

Welcome back KB. How do you find balancing your desire to try new things with your frugal ways? Is the fact you have to be more creative and get more for your money inspirational and makes you more creative or do you sometimes feel constrained by it?

We had a fab weekend, not an inexpensive one though. We went to Lytham on Saturday to return our toaster yet again! We bought a Dualit toaster last year and we've had to have it replaced a couple of times already so finally we said "enough" and just took a refund. We then saw a mirror in a shop window and toyed with buying that (it might still happen). We have resisted for now and instead we spent the money yesterday by taking a trip to the Lake District *yay*. We went to Keswick to one of our favourite veggie cafes. It was such a gorgeous drive there was snow on the tops but fine down below. So it was perfect for us.

We came home and watched La Traviata on tv. I was very excited as it was my favourite tenor. But the bunnies also thought it was great fun and reacted to the music, lol. During the bawdy parts they made a huge racket, ripping up cardboard and running about like maniacs, then when it was quiet they just sat and washed. Maybe coincidence but it was too funny (which isn't really what you need when a poor lass is dying).

Have a good day one and all.
 
#164 ·
Dutchie - I had to take a separate theory test too. If it were only a test like that I'd have passed years ago. :) I get nervous easily and found the test situation incredibly stressful, so I'm glad I passed this time. Best of luck to your daughter - I agree that taking a test in London would be extremely difficult! Particularly now they've changed the test so there is some free-driving involved (i.e., you get told to follow the signs to somewhere). My thoughts are with her. (hugs)

Britbunny - Most of the time my experimentation comes in the form of "how many things can I use this in?" so I'll buy one particular ingredient and see how much I can do with it. It really gives my creativity a workout. It can be a bit restrictive though. However, a lot of the experimentation of late has been with spices and marinades so things gets jazzed up but it doesn't cost a lot overall. A good example was some special offer ribs which I made up a Chinese marinade for - I've been asked to make those again. Lucky you going to the Lake District! We're down in the East Midlands, but I really want to visit up there one day - soon. It always looks so beautiful when I see it on TV...

Had an OK day today - nothing really has happened, which is good. I got home, did some Pilates (finally managed it!) and have sat down with a cup of tea before DH gets back from work and the cooking starts. We're just having a pasta bake, and then most likely watching a bit of TV as the weather doesn't look good enough for a walk tonight. Shame - I could do with a leg-stretch.

Have a nice evening, everyone.

KB xx
 
#165 ·
When I mention this I will really be showing my age.

When I sat my driving test the theory part was only a couple of questions at the end of the driving test itself. Even still I didn't manage to pass first time. Did manage the second time though. However, I took my test in a very small town (my hometown) with one traffic light and no motorway anywhere near.
When I moved to Holland, firstly I didn't drive for about 4 or 5 years and then I took some driving lessons before I ventured out onto the roads and especially motorways.
I did make sure that my license didn't expire and changed it to a Dutch one as soon as possible so that I didn't have to re-take a test here.

One thing that I am curious about and pls if you don't want to mention it, it is more than okay but BB and KB, what are your ages since it isn't mentioned under your avatar? Just curious!

Further today I have to go the garage to get a lamp fixed in my car headlights. I was there last week as well for a service and a MOT for the car. (Here a car has to be MOT'd every year after it is three years old. I drive a - now - 4 year old Kia Sorrento - LOVE it!)
Then grocery shopping and afterwards into the city to get Fiori off my mobile subscription and onto her own.
However the sun is shining (even though it is almost arctic outside)
and that makes the world seem a little more cheerful and gives me a lot more energy than if it was raining.
Have a great day everyone!
 
#166 ·
Hi,

KB - that's what I do too with things like marinades and whatever, making those flavours the main but of interest. I aim to try a new food or recipe every week so we;re not eating the same things all the time. Our local supermarket is very good and sells lots of exciting stuff so there's always something to try. Do you grow any herbs or anything yourself?

The Lake District is well worth a trip - especially for a foodie. From Grasmere gingerbread to Mr Vikki's chilli jam and everything in between. We're very lucky as we're only just over an hour from Windermere so we nip up there all the time. It never becomes boring. Although I am very happy to get back to the coast after all those hills, lol.

I am 36 years old! My mum is freaking out as my eldest brother is 40 next month so she's starting to feel old, poor lass.

We need to have the car serviced next month too *booo* It's nearly 4 years old now so it's just out of warranty so we'll have to start having MOTs and all manner of things like that for it. Thinking it's 4 years old is making me think we'll have to start saving for a new one in the next year or so. But it is a Volvo (C30) so hopefully it'll last for ages. I love love love our car, partly because we paid cash for it but mainly because it's just sooo lovely! Not that I can drive of course, I'm far too much of a flibbertyjibbert.
 
#167 ·
Yes, I try too to make something new each week. Dh loves eating new stuff but Fiori is sometimes a picky eater. For example we absolutely LOVE fish but she will only eat salmon which I don't mind since I could eat it every day of the week - prepared in many ways - but she will only eat it out of the frying pan. So we keep our food experiments for when she doesn't eat at home.
The boys will eat just about anything.

Sometimes I freak out as well when I think that I have such 'old' children. How can a person 'as young as I feel' have a 29 year old son???!!!!????.

We used to drive Volvo as well but when they changed the design of the models (from the old fashioned 'tank' style - at least that's what we called it) we changed over to something else. I have never driven Volvo but dh did for many years. When he drove volvo (a company car which we used privately), I drove a mini and was afraid to drive in such a large car.
Later he started driving company cars which we didn't drive privately and then I started to drive bigger cars - Chrysler Voyager (loved that car) and now the Sorrento which I really really love.

Here the tax laws are strict regarding company cars. I'll try and explain it.
Dh has a company car - a BMW 5.
He only drives for his work and keeps a registration of every kilometer that he drives and has to produce it if asked by the IRS. This way the car costs us nothing.
If he were to use the car privately as well then we would have to add 25% of the NEW value (each year) to our income and then we would be taxed on it. So say the car costs 50,000 euros new then we would add 12,500 euros to our yearly income on the tax form and then get a tax bill of 6,500 to pay. On saying that we wouldn't have any expenses AT ALL for the car.
Nowadays there are cars for example the Prius where the percentage to be added to the income is lower but it is NEVER free.

We also paid cash for our car and now that you mention it, we should also start saving for a new one.
 
#168 ·
I'm 32. :) My car is a little VW Polo, whom I've given the name of "Valentino" (I know, I'm strange :p ) Oh my but the insurance was high! I had my age on my side, but that's about it and for a first car it's been quite difficult. My savings just about covered the car, but there's been a few things to fix on it recently (clutch gave way on the motorway, starter motor, needed new tyres) so savings are thin on the ground lately. I need to build that up again. Hopefully I'll drive it up to the Lake District!

With regards to herbs - I tried. I've really not got green-fingers, I'm afraid. I might have another shot this year, but so far my successes have been non-existent. I don't live overly far from where this chilli is grown, but I doubt I'll use anything THAT hot! I think I'll stick to the occasional basil pot plant - and hopefully they'll stay alive long enough to be useful. We did have some chives, once, but they seriously over-ran the garden and they had to be cut right back. Something happened after that and they've not resurfaced since. :( Ah, well.

I wish I could cook more fish, but DH really doesn't like it. I tried, once, but unfortunately as I used a smoked fish the house smelled for weeks afterwards. After that, the only fish he'll eat is from the fish and chip shop (unless you count prawns, which he doesn't mind).

We had Toad in the Hole tonight - using a Nigella twist. I had a packet of sausagemeat from the butcher to use up so I mixed them with a bit of chopped bacon and made meatballs out of it and baked that in the batter instead. While it was lovely, to DH and I it wasn't a proper Toad in the Hole because it wasn't proper sausages. Still ate it though, with beans. 8)

KB xx
 
#169 ·
Hi KB,

I heard the chilli guy on the radio the other day, I love chilli but I think I might give it a miss! There's a sandwich shop in Kendal and the owner makes this amazing but super super hot relish. It's chilli, carrot and tomatoes reduced down to a superhot paste. It's amazing but WOW. It was too hot for DH (the guy let us taste it before we had it on our sandwich) but I had some a houmous sandwich and it was just right.

LOL at the fish. My mum loves smoked fish but no-one else in our family did so whenever she treated herself we all flung doors and windows wide open - poor mum being laughed at like that! I was never a fish lover really, DH was though and it took him a little while to let it go when we stopped eating meat.

So what's going on today with everyone? I'm going to be doing some more of my quilt and I need to get on the exercise bike. For some daft reason I have entered a challenge, it was a pick your own challenge and I decided I would cycle (on my exercise bike) 1400 miles in 3 months. Which is just over 15 miles a day. It's going to be tough! But at least my jeans will be smaller.

It's very grey and grim today so I have the blinds in the lounge fully open, on days like this the floor to ceiling windows are very welcome - they'd be even better had it not been really windy and half the beach not been dumped on the house! Such is life.

Have a grand old day.
 
#170 ·
Not a lot happened here today, Britbunny. I decided to get a chicken from our local butcher's and am going to do an experiment to see how far I can make it go. Stre-e-e-etch it out into many meals. :) We'll have it roast on Sunday, then the rest of the meat in either a pie, pasta dish or cold with salad, and then other meals, sandwiches and finally soup.

I've just been out to see my Mum, but had to come back early due to a stonking headache. The drive back was OK but concentration was really difficult! As it is, the headache hasn't really shifted all day but is manageable at the minute. Mum lent me another book of Wartime recipes (a fascination of both of ours) and I'm going to have a bit of a look through it now before I switch off for the night. I've found a couple of recipes I'm going to give a go - carrot cookies is on the list for baking tomorrow night while tea is cooking.

That chilli sauce sounds ... daunting. I'd definitely give it a try, but would have plenty of water on standby! It's nice though to have a bit of heat now and then.

Good luck with that challenge though! I don't think I could do anything that strenuous these days. To think I used to be really fit at one point but have let it go thanks to a knee problem. Shepherd's Pie tomorrow night - must remember to take the mince out. Have a nice evening and tomorrow!

KB xx
 
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